1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to test stations and, more specifically, to subsea test stations using solar cells to energize at least one electronic circuit incorporating at least one node having a determinable circuit value or other parameter test station providing a full time voltage readout, powered by the lights on an ROV/AUV or diver's lamp.
An additional element of the present invention is a subsea cathodic protection test station incorporating a plurality of banks of solar cells powering DC voltage test circuits having some form of parameter display, such as voltmeter readout, deriving voltage from ambient light provided by an outside sources, such as an ROV or diver's lamp.
Cathodic protection effectively protects underground or submerged metallic structures through the use of a negative potential applied by an external source to the structure. Commonly, once the structure has been made sufficiently negative, environmental corrosion (soil or moisture) is resisted. The method is typically applied to iron or steel structures such as underground pipelines, storage tanks, the interior of water storage tanks, ocean pilings, and electrical transmission towers. Buried steel structures will revert back to their natural state as an iron oxide without proper intervention.
Cathodic protection systems require routine monitoring to ensure that adequate current is supplied to buried or submerged metallic structures. Test stations are a simple method for conducting this monitoring.
The cathodic protection test system of the present invention provides means for improved monitoring of submerged cathodic protection systems by utilizing solar panels to power the cathodic protection test system. The solar power extends the life of the system by eliminating the need for internal batteries and thus reduces replacement cost of materials and labor.
The present invention's cathodic protection test system includes four integral voltmeters of which are powered with independent solar panels. The solar panels are powered by artificial light delivered by diver or submersible vehicle.
The test station includes sensors that are hard wired back to the solar powered voltage readouts contained within the subsea pressure housing. The readout unit can be incorporated into the structure being monitored the cathodic protection anode source or can be integrated into a buoyant module which floats above the seabed.
The integral voltmeters of which are powered with independent solar panels include displayed parameters for monitoring cathodic protection status such as reference electrode potentials, subsea shunted devices such as, current density and anode current.
In addition to monitoring cathodic protection status parameters, the solar powered test station may be utilized to monitor any other parameters that can be displayed as a DC voltage. Such parameters include, but are not limited to temperature, pressure, or flow rate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other devices designed for displaying variables. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 2,780,765 issued to Chapin et al on Feb. 5, 1957.
Another patent was issued to Paradise on Jun. 2, 1959 as U.S. Pat. No. 2,889,490. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 3,317,809 was issued to Bowers, et al. on May 2, 1967 and still yet another was issued on Jul. 11, 1978 to Durand et al as U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,427.
Another patent was issued to Carpenter et al. on Aug. 18, 1992 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,634. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,654 was issued to Bertram, et al. on Nov. 17, 1992. Another was issued to Janda, et al. on Jun. 22, 1993 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,891 and still yet another was issued on Mar. 1, 1994 to Bingley, et al. as U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,998.
Another patent was issued to Henno, et al. on Dec. 2, 2003 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,657,179. Yet another International Patent Application No. WO 00/48166 was issued to Hubbell on Aug. 17, 2000. Another was issued to Erban on Sep. 12, 2000 as International Patent Application No. WO 02/071571 and still yet another was issued on Jan. 20, 2001 to Ogawa, et al. as Canadian Patent No. CA2159511.